Thomas, Percy and the Dragon
by Transformers 0
Summary: Another adaptation as requested by a loyal fan.
1. Friendly Rivalry

**Another adaptation as requested by tate310.**

 **You guys know that you can make requests from me, right?**

* * *

 **Thomas, Percy and the Dragon**

 **Friendly Rivalry**

Friendship is a term used to describe a bond between two people that aren't related by blood or by kinship, yet still treat each other entirely like brothers. Friendship is one of the most underrated treasures in life, often being overlooked in favour of the glamour of romance, or the satisfaction of vengeance. Still, friendship should never be overlooked as a valuable moral asset that you should count as a blessing in your everyday life. There are people who love you and need you every day in your life.

Even if sometimes, they get up your smokestack a bit.

* * *

Thomas the Tank Engine sighed in vexation as he rolled out of the shunting yards of Tidmouth to collect his coaches. His best friend, Percy the Small Engine, was being a bit more of a frenemy as of late. It had only been two months since the Woolly Bear Incident, but Percy always held a mental scoreboard as if they were scratches on his boiler. Over the past few days, Percy had been all over Thomas' case about the time the blue engine had foolishly fallen for his ghostly trick, among other noodle incidents from Thomas' first days on Sodor. And quite frankly, the head engine of the Ffarquhar branch line team was wearing thin on tolerance for humiliation.

It was just so unfortunate that Toby had decided to be a cheeky troll and offered to take the mail for Percy tonight, freeing up space in the Ffarquhar Sheds for the green saddle tank to snuggle into.

"Hey Thomas, do you know what?"

Thomas moaned in sleepy annoyance as he opened one heavy eyelid.

"What?"

"Are you dreaming of the time you thought I was a ghost?"

"One, I am not dreaming of that. Two, I didn't _really_ think it was a ghost – I knew it was you the whole time. And three, it's 2:00 am," grumbled the blue engine, glancing up to the clock inside the shed.

But Percy wasn't finished yet.

"Hope the guard leaves the light on for you tonight," grinned the small saddle tank.

"Why? I quite like the dark," said Thomas in a half-stupor.

"Oh _really_?" smiled Percy with a mischievous wink, "I always thought you were afraid of it. I wonder why…"

Thomas didn't want to continue arguing at this point, nor did he want to wake up Daisy, who was sleeping in the third berth alongside them, so he just tuned out Percy's yapping and went back to sleep at once.

* * *

As Thomas was being oiled up the following afternoon, the Fat Controller arrived with special news, and in hindsight Thomas was glad that he was the only one in Ffarquhar Sheds at that moment.

"Good afternoon, Thomas!"

"Good afternoon sir!"

"I've given your branch line duties for the evening over to Toby as I would like you to go to Brendam Harbour now to collect an unusual delivery."

"What sort of delivery?" perked up Thomas with curiosity.

"Ah, you'll need to wait and see," grinned the Fat Controller as he walked back to his car.

Thomas rolled his eyes with an exasperated laugh. As of late, practically everyone wanted to troll him.


	2. Suddery Mishaps

**Suddery Mishaps**

Meanwhile, Percy was busy shunting his latest goods train into the siding at Suddery. He remembered his first days here on Sodor, and how he had derailed at this very siding when he had ran away backwards out of control without stopping, due to a careless mishap on the main line.

The day had gone well so far. The coaches and trucks had behaved well, and everyone else was commenting on how bright and cheerful he was today.

The signalman switched the points to allow Henry to pass by with the Express. "Hello Percy! Beautiful afternoon, isn't it?" called Henry amiably as he trundled through. "Yes indeed!" Percy called back to his big friend.

Unlike Thomas and Gordon, Percy and Henry had no ongoing rivalry. Where the big and little blue engines would throw slights and snarks towards one another, the green hulk and the little gremlin shared advice and encouragement between themselves.

Even so, Henry was already too far gone to help with Percy's next problem.

"The switches are jammed!" called the signalman from the box, "I'm afraid we can't schedule any repairmen until the next day."

"Botheration!" cursed Percy, looking skyward, "Everything was perfect up until now!"

His fireman uncoupled the trucks and his driver parked him a few more meters forward up the siding line.

"Sorry old boy," he said as he disembarked from the cab, "But it looks like you'll have to be camping out here for the night."

"Brilliant. Just brilliant," sighed Percy as his fire died down.

* * *

During Percy's mishap, Thomas had made his way to the harbour. He was waiting patiently for his cargo to be taken out of the tanker ship and loaded onto his flatbed in front of him.

Suddenly a threatening shape leapt at him from the fog!

"Cinders and ashes – a dragon!" yelped the little blue tank engine.

"Hahaha," laughed Edward, who had drawn up alongside him, "Fear not, Thomas. It's only a pretend dragon made of paper mache, wooden frames, and lots and lots of LEDs."

"I wasn't scared," Thomas spat defensively, then he added sheepishly, "I have, uh, allergies."

"Uh huh, sure," said the blue mixed traffic engine before speaking in a much more softer tone, "Look, back when I was a newer engine, some of my old friends would be sceptical of me and my superstition. That didn't give me the right to call them silly or stupid. They never called me names either. We just lived, and let lived. And we didn't mock each other when we made mistakes."

"You're right," sighed Thomas, releasing a puff of smoke from his funnel, "Tomorrow I'll reconcile with Percy."

"That's the Sudrian Spirit there, mate. Now, this dragon needs to be delivered to Arlesburgh," reported Edward as he shunted another train ready for Toby to take off with.

"Okay, goodnight and see ya tomorrow Edward," called Thomas as he steamed away, his brilliantly shining cargo taking up the front.

Edward called back his own farewells before Thomas disappeared into the foggy night.

* * *

Meanwhile, Percy was quivering as the cold fog crept up through his pistons. Or was it fear?

The green saddle tank had picked up his superstitious outlook on life from Edward, and was always respectful and mindful of the blue engine's advice on ghost folklore.

He was almost certain he heard a wolf howl when the full moon managed to momentarily emerge from behind the heavy and ominous cloud cover.

 _Wait, does Sodor even have wolves?_

He didn't want to dwell on it, and decided to instead fall into a restless and uneasy sleep.

What he didn't know was that there was something dangerous lurking behind him…

* * *

Percy only saw an enraged dragon flying low alongside him before shutting his mouth, closing his eyes, and sending multiple prayers to Heaven for the rest of the evening until he finally fell into a terrified, darkness-engulfing sleep that lasted several hours.

Whether it was good or bad that it lasted that long, Percy didn't care at this point.

Not until he woke up with a start, at least.


	3. Recon

**Recon**

"Wake up, old boy," his driver greeted him, "We're running a bit late, but the switches have now been fixed and we can make up for lost time."

"Oh yes… of course," said Percy sleepily, hiding his discomfort of last night's events.

As he puffed back to Knapford, he met Gordon as he stopped by Wellsworth to take on water.

"You'd never guess what I saw last night!"

"Alright Percy, what's the problem – I'm running late," sighed Gordon.

"It was a huge dragon! It was covered in lights!"

Percy had sought advice from the wrong engine.

"Bwahaha!" chortled Gordon heartily, "You've been tanning in the sun too long! You've finally cracked!"

And with that the blue tender engine set off, leaving behind a very indignant saddle tank.

* * *

James and Henry weren't much different either.

"Maybe it was a nightmare," Henry suggested kindly, "I get plenty of those."

The green, neurotic tender engine recalled a long list of unpleasant dreams he had been having as of late.

"I get nightmares about heights. And spiders. Rain. And bees… my teeth falling out…"

While Henry was busy shuddering and remembering, James and Percy stared inquisitively at him. Then James rolled his eyes and chuffed away, calling out to Percy, "Beware of the other dragons in the archipelago! I've heard that they target little green goblins on wheels!"

"That's not funny!" Percy yelped in trepidation, "I can't believe you don't care!"

"You've been infected with Edward-itis," replied James snootily, "Who _does_ care?"

Percy looked back at Henry for a response, but the big green engine was still rattling on about ants and snakes and rust, amongst other things, that Percy decided it wouldn't be worth the trouble.

"Maybe I did imagine things after all," he thought to himself as he puffed off to collect Annie and Clarabel. It was his turn to take the branch line passengers for the day.

* * *

But as he steamed into Maithwaite, Percy found that he indeed had _not_ been imagining things!

"Aah! You again!" he shrieked as the dragon rounded a corner and pulled up on the opposite platform.

"Don't worry Percy," spoke up Thomas from behind the dragon, "This is just a model made out of LEDs, paper mache and wooden frames. It's not real."

Percy felt smaller than ever, and very, very green (and not in the paintjob sense).

"How was your night out yesterday?" continued Thomas.

Percy pondered for a moment, but just decided to fall back on simple honesty.

After hearing his friend's recount, Thomas spoke up his condolences.

"I'm sorry I accidentally scared you, and that I called you a silly engine. We'd never have had this semi-feud if I had just respectably disagreed with you from the start rather than attacking you for your outlooks."

Percy smiled.

"And I'm sorry I continued to push your buttons afterwards," the saddle tank said, "Friends again?"

"Now and always," answered Thomas.

And they meant it.


End file.
